Providing both social interaction and an opportunity to be a part of the worship service, the music programs offered at Lake Street Church provide a wealth of opportunities for singers and musicians of all abilities.

Music Staff

Alice Lane, Music Director

Alice Lane, organist and choir director at Lake Street Church since 1990, combines an academic degree in piano and voice; independent study in viola, organ and harp; and a life-long exposure to good church music. As a child of an American Baptist preacher who collected hymnals on the side, and a mother who taught piano, Alice's first and most meaningful exposure to music was in the church. Church music continues to be her major professional endeavor, yet she still manages to continue an extensive piano studio.

Since becoming director of the music program at Lake Street Church, she has presented choral concerts of Handel's "Messiah," Fauré 's "Requiem," Saint-Saens's "Christmas Oratorio," Bach's "Christmas Cantata," Schubert's "Mass in F," and Mendelssohn's "Elijah", Brahms German Requiem, J.S. Bach's "Magnificat" and John Rutter's "Gloria". She has also spearheaded a drive for the restoration of two fine grand pianos, which are now in use in the church. The organ has also recently been releathered and brought back to full use.

But too much of a good thing (if there is such a thing as too much church music) can sometimes stifle creativity. So, to help her keep her perspective, she sings baritone in the 4 On A Chord Quartet barbershop quartet and has directed The North Shore Harmonizers, a 40-voice women's barbershop chorus, since 1991.

And to keep her firmly grounded in reality, she has a husband, three married sons and four grandchildren.

Carol Watkins, Soprano

Carol Watkins joined Lake Street Church as soprano soloist and section leader in 1993. She brings many years of professional experience as a musical theater performer and training as a classical artist. Favorite musical theater roles have included Maria in West Side Story, Maggie in A Chorus Line, and Salome in The Robber Bridegroom. Opera stage performances have included Fiordiligi in Cosi Fan Tutte, and Gertrude in Hansel and Gretel.
She has made her directorial debut here at Lake Street Church with productions of Amahl and the Night Visitors in 2000, 2002 and 2007, and continues her musical training as a director of the Lake Street Church tone chime choir, The Crystal Ringers.

Kenneth Donovan, Tenor

KENNETH DONOVAN has been a member of the Lyric Opera of Chicago Chorus since 1993, where he appeared as a featured soloist in Fedora, Peter Grimes, Billy Budd, and Thais. He has also performed with the Chicago Opera Theatre and the Chicago Symphony Chorus. He has sung the role of Rodolfo in Puccini’s La Boheme with the Greensboro Opera. Solo concert work includes appearances with the West Suburban Symphony and the Illinois Valley Symphony. He is a frequent recitalist for such concert series as Batavia Classics and The Bech Institute. He has performed in several Opera Classics Concerts at the Valparaiso Memorial Opera House and performs annually at the Lyric Opera of Chicago Opera Preview concerts, sponsored by the Kennedy Foundation and the Thomas Ford Memorial Library of Western Springs. Ken is also a founding member of Opera Faves, an ensemble of vocalists from the Lyric Opera of Chicago who perform concerts throughout the Chicagoland area, and has been listed as a member of the Illnois Artstour Roster. He has studied with various teachers across the USA, including Leslie Bennett, Kathryn LaBouff, Deborah Montgomery, Charles Lynam, and Diane Forlano, and is currently studying with Karen Brunssen. Ken has served on the voice faculty of the Greensboro Music Academy and Greensboro College. He has a private voice studio in Northbrook, Illinois.

Ronald Watkins, Baritone

Baritone Ronald Watkins has been a member of the Lyric Opera of Chicago Chorus since 1992. He has had many featured appearances on the Lyric stage, in such operas as Peter Grimes, Boris Godunov, Fedora, The Rakes Progress, The Ghosts of Versailles, Billy Budd, and Sweeney Todd. Regional credits include Eisenstein in Die Fledermaus, Schaunard and Marcello in La Boheme, the Second Priest in Die Zauberflote, and the Baron in La Traviata. A frequent concert artist and recitalist, Watkins has appeared with the South West Symphony, Corning Symphony, Colgate Symphony, Lake Placid Sinfonietta, Finger Lakes Symphony, and the Rochester Bach Festival, and the Dame Myra Hess Memorial Concert Series.
Mr. Watkins can be heard on composer John Giles compact disc recording entitled A Song for All Seasons.

Dominique Frigo, Alto

Dominique Frigo, contralto, has made numerous concert and opera appearances. She most recently appeared as Zita from Puccini's Gianni Schicchi with Opera Illinois.  Some of her other roles include Zia Principessa from Suor Angelica,  Dalila from Saint Saens' Samson and Dalila,  Azucena from Verdi's Il Trovatore, and Maddalena from Verdi's Rigoletto  Her concert and oratorio experience is varied, and includes solo appearances in Handel's Messiah, Haydn's Lord Nelson Mass, the Bach Magnificat, the Vivaldi Magnificat, Brahms 2 songs for Alto with Viola and Piano Op. 91  and Bach Cantata No. 6. Ms. Frigo made her debut at Chicago Symphony Center as a soloist in 2002 as a part of the Center's lecture series on Verdi.   She was a finalist in the 2002 and 2006  Bel Canto Chorus Competitions, a semi finalist in the 2002 Lotte Lehman Foundation's art song competition, and a semi-finalist in the 2001 Center for Contemporary Opera's International Opera Singer's competition.

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